See Rock City

Monday, September 8, 2008

Brinkley, AR

Brinkley Post Office, March 2012

Monroe County is the 20th county in Arkansas created on November 2, 1829 by the Territorial Legislature from portions of Arkansas and Phillips counties. It was named for the fifth President of the United States, James Monroe. Clarendon is the county seat and was the earliest settlement in Monroe County. It became an important river port off of the White River and a terminus for a stage coach line to the county. In 1815, federal surveyors, Prospect Robbins and Joseph Brown, came to Arkansas to begin the survey of the Louisiana Purchase by establishing the initial survey point, or base line, in a swamp about eight miles east of Clarendon. This survey of wilderness territory stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border.

The state’s first rail line, the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad (later the Rock Island), was completed in 1871. What is now Brinkley, began as a railroad camp due to its location on high ground in the swampy region. Once the railroad was completed, it brought many immigrants, largely German and Irish, in search of opportunity and the camp that became known as “Lick Skillet” became a thriving community. When the town was incorporated, it was appropriately named after the man who brought the railroad to Monroe County, Robert Brinkley.

Monroe County was flush with virgin timber in the early days. Numerous lumber and stave mills cropped up all over the county providing employment to many of the settlers. After the forests were stripped bare, the rich delta soil was cultivated and the towns of Holly Grove, Monroe, Roe, and Blackton were erected. Cotton became king and the county prospered. Then came the cultivation of rice, which also offered employment to many and wealth to the farmers.

The flood of 1927 was devastating to the Monroe county citizens. It destroyed the farm crops and left many families homeless and destitute. Then before they barely recovered, came the Great Depression. More hard times fell on Monroe County and it’s inhabitants. Many risked their lives diving in the powerful currents of the White and Cache Rivers to gather mussel shells for the mother of pearl button manufacturing plants in the county to support their families. These hardy people managed to scratch out a living from the land and the rivers to help them survive those desperate times.

World War II came and took many of Monroe Counties’ finest, who bravely served their county. After the war, many of the surviving young men did not return to the fields, but chose a life in the bigger cities with brighter opportunities. It forced the counties’ farmers to move quickly towards mechanized forms of farming, which left many of the remaining field hands unemployed. With no work to be found, the small towns of Holly Grove, Monroe, and Roe, rapidly grew into decline.

Looking down Cypress Street in Brinkley, March 2012

Local leaders campaigned for the first paved highway in America that was to extend from the east coast to the west coast, to come through Monroe County, This new paved road, Highway 70, promoted as the “the Broadway of America”, was built through Brinkley and thus brought tourist and boom days. Business flourished in Brinkley until the end of passenger service for the railroad in 1967, due to the increased competition from airplanes and automobiles, and then later, the completion of Interstate 40 in 1967 that runs parallel to Highway 70, making travel on the “Broadway” through Brinkley unnecessary.

The county’s vibrant towns are all but gone. The citizenship consists of the older generation that were born and raised here. There are very little employment opportunities for the younger generations, and so they leave in search of a better way of life.

The greatest population of Monroe County was 21,133 in the 1940s. It declined to 19,540 in the 1950s, 17,327 in the 1960s, 15,657 in the 1970s, 14,052 in the 80s and in the 2000 census the population was 10,254. The streets are no longer lined with cars and throngs of people on those once bustling streets, the businesses are few, if at all. Things are quiet in what remains of these once prosperous rural communities. But hope remains strong, and there are groups of local activist working to bring back employment and progress to these splendid communities.

Ivory-billed Woodpecker

Thought to be extinct for 60 years, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker was spotted by kayaker Gene Sparling on the Bayou de View in the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge near Brinkley in 2004, leading to further searches in Arkansas by teams of naturalists and a new-found interest in "casual birding" in the woodland areas around Brinkley by amateur birders, as well. Video of what many experts believe to be an Ivory-billed Woodpecker was taken during an expedition in the White River National Wildlife Refuge, also in the Brinkley area. Brinkley is the capital of Ivory-billed Woodpecker Country.

At the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge near Brinkley, you can experience wetlands of international importance. In fact, it’s the most important wintering area for ducks and the largest remaining tract of contiguous bottomland hardwood forest on the North America continent. Here, there are thousands of acres of bottomland forest; sloughs; oxbow lakes; over 50 species of mammals including deer, raccoon and river otter; nearly 240 species of birds including ducks, geese, wading birds and other assorted migratory birds; and 48 species of reptiles and amphibians.

The White River National Wildlife Refuge has the largest concentration of wintering mallards in the Mississippi Flyway and also has large concentrations of snow and Canada geese. The refuge is home to black bears and bald eagles. There are 356 natural and man-made lakes in the White River National Wildlife Refuge. It is also classified as a wetland of international importance.

Cache River National Wildlife Refuge headquarters are north of Brinkley and located 16 miles south of Augusta on Hwy. 33, (870) 347-2614, http://cacheriver.fws.gov. The White River National Wildlife Refuge/Visitors Center is about an hour’s drive south of Brinkley and located off Ark. 1 just south of St. Charles.

For more information about the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in Arkansas, see the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Web site, www.agfc.com (hyperlink). This Web site also has links to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Big Woods Conservation Partnership, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Nature Conservancy. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC Web site also has information about AGFC wildlife management areas near Brinkley which include Wattensaw and Dagmar.

Local tours are available out of Brinkley for amateur birders to search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and more than 160 other bird species living along the Mississippi Flyway.

Welcome to the City of Brinkley!

We are a proud community experiencing a period of renewal and revitalization. It’s an exciting time to be a part of our diverse community. The rich heritage and culture of the Delta continues to be a source of pride for the residents of our fair city.

Originally a railroad town, Brinkley became known over the years for its farming and great recreational opportunities such as hunting and birding. As the halfway point between Little Rock and Memphis, we offer all the comforts of rural living with easy access to the urban amenities of the city.

The reappearance of the once thought to be extinct Ivory-Billed Woodpecker occurred just outside our city limits. We welcome any bird watchers that may seek out the elusive woodpecker or enjoy the many other opportunities for bird watching.

We are a business friendly city. Any business or industry looking to locate in Brinkley would be welcome with open arms. We have a grant writer on staff and possible financial assistance could be available to businesses looking to become a part of our community.

Brinkley, AR

There has never been a better time to experience Brinkley.

History

In 1852, a land grant for the construction of rail lines was given to the Little Rock and Memphis Railroad Company, lead by Robert Campbell Brinkley as its President. Robert C. Brinkley, born in North Carolina, lived in Memphis where he served a public career of "noble deeds and generous conduct" and for many years served as the President of Planters Bank of Memphis.

Between 1852 and 1869, the settlement was called "Lick Skillet." When the day’s work was completed, the railroad construction crew, mostly all immigrants from neighboring towns, cooked their supper over an open fire and returned to their homes when the last "skillet was licked."

The construction of the rail lines between Little Rock and Memphis brought the City of Brinkley into being. Brinkley is situated in the northern part of Monroe County, the halfway point between the two larger cities. It was laid out in the winter of 1869 on lands belonging to the railroad.

A Petition Request was granted to incorporate Brinkley on August 6, 1872, at which time the town had 50 qualified voters. The original charter was filed with the Secretary of State of Arkansas on August 21, 1872.

From its ties to the transportation industry, the City of Brinkley continues to maintain a position at the center of major transportation arteries. Brinkley is located in Monroe County in the rich relics from the past and rolling farmlands of the Arkansas Delta. The halfway point between Little Rock and Memphis, it is a convenient oasis for travelers along Interstate 40, one of the busiest interstates in the United States. The city is also located on U.S. Highway 49, providing transit north-south, and Highway 70, an additional east-west corridor.

Brinkley is an amicable and neighborly community of 4,000. As with all towns in the twentieth century, Brinkley has experienced the ebb and flow of progress. Now fourth generation residents are united with relative newcomers to bring Brinkley to an era of active development and expansion. City leaders and residents have come together to diversify the economic and employment base of the community, while improving the standard of living and quality of life for all its citizens.

In 1909, Mr. Folsom acquired the property where the library is located. The house was built by Mr. Lawson Deloney of the Deloney and Wittenburg architectural firm of Little Rock. The library houses 7,000 books, 800 children’s books, fiction, large print, paperback, videos, books on tape, reference materials, classical books and voter registration.

Phillips-Van Heusen's main headquarters are located in Manhattan, with administrative offices in Bridgewater, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, California.

Additional distribution facilities in the United States are located in Brinkley, Arkansas; Austell, Georgia; Jonesville, North Carolina; Breinigsville, Reading and Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania; and Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Phillips-Van Heusen has several sourcing facilities worldwide. These facilities are located in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Vietnam, The Philippines, and Taiwan.

The corporation employs over 12,000 people worldwide.

History

The history of Phillips-Van Heusen can be traced back to 1876, when G. H. Bass began his shoe manufacturing company in Maine. Separately, John M. Van Heusen and Isaac Phillips met and formed the Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation, and Vin Draddy acquired the rights to the Izod name in the early 1900s.

In 1881, Moses Phillips and his wife Endel began sewing shirts by hand and selling them from pushcarts to local Pottsville, Pennsylvania anthracite coal miners. This grows into a shirt business in New York City that places one of the first ever shirt ads in the Saturday Evening Post.

The Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation received a patent for a self-folding collar in 1919, which was released to the public in 1921 and was successful. The first collar attached shirt was introduced in 1929.

The Bass Weejun was introduced in 1936. Geoffrey Beene shirts were launched in 1982.

In 1987, Phillips-Van Heusen acquired G.H. Bass. In 1995, the corporation acquired the Izod brand, followed by the Arrow brand in 2000, and the Calvin Klein company in 2002.

The corporation will begin making men's apparel under the Timberland name in 2008, with women's apparel to follow in 2009, under a licensing agreement.

Distribution

Van Heusen Shirts

Phillips-Van Heusen provides products to many popular department stores, such as Macys, Kohls, and Dillards, both through its own labels and private label agreements.

Phillips-Van Heusen also sells its products directly to customers through about 700 outlet stores under the brand names Van Heusen, Geoffrey Beene, IZOD, Bass, and Calvin Klein. The outlet stores provide product not available through other retailers, such as the clothing available at Bass clothing stores.

These stores will sell the full range of Calvin Klein product at full price, differing from existing outlet stores. The stores will be about 10,000 square feet.

Phillips-Van Heusen today announced on May 28, 2008 that it has decided not to renew its license agreements to operate Geoffrey Beene outlet retail stores and will close its Geoffrey Beene outlet retail division by the end of fiscal 2008. The expiration of the retail license agreements will not affect the Company's license agreement for Geoffrey Beene brand dress shirts and men's sportswear, which has been renewed for an additional term ending December 31, 2013.

American Cottonseed Network Inc.,

American Cottonseed

The Awful Truth About Cottonseed Oil

Posted by Paul Hooson

Published: Jan 26, 08 04:30 PM

Slowly a cheaper cost cotton-gin-trash-based vegetable oil has been slipping into more and more food products unknown to most persons that should raise some serious health and consumer concerns.

Cottonseed oil is exactly what it says it is; oil made from the cottonseed. However few in the public realize that until a serious toxin in the oil, gossypol is removed, that cottonseed oil is actually so toxic that it is often used as a pesticide. Further since cotton crops are under far less chemical regulation that other other crops used specifically for food, many pesticides or chemicals can be used on cotton crops that are illegal for use on food crops, yet the cottonseed can find it's way into the food chain because of this major legal loophole in the regulation of food and chemicals by the FDA. Some serious pesticides or chemicals could resist processing and find their way into the food chain because of this.

It is often products such as potato chips or snack crackers where cottonseed oil is turning up most often, however more and more consumers need to be wary of cottonseed oil being substituted for far more healthy oils such as soybean, canola or sunflower oil in many cheaper cost food products. Generally if a consumer sticks with health food store brands of snacks or other products, cottonseed oil is never present in such premium quality foods, unlike cheaper foods where this cheap oil is growing more and more common.

Regardless of the chemical, pesticide or toxic concerns related to cottonseed oil, there are other serious health concerns for consumers to be wary of as well. Cottonseed oil contains over 50% in Omega-6 fatty acids, which should raise health concerns if a person consumes this oil in large amounts.

And further if a person is allergic to peanuts for example, cotttonseed oil is so similiar in it's protein structure that a person may have a serious allergic reaction to cottonseed oil as well. Yet so far the FDA does not require allergy labeling of this product that is so similar to peanuts. This is a serious health concern. Peanut allergies can be fatal to some persons, and some similar products with similar protein structures could also create a life-threatening allergy reaction as well.

As the American textile industry has declined to overseas markets, the American cotton industry has sought new uses for their crops including the use of some gin-trash as cattle feed as well as the increased use of cottonseed oil in human food products. However, for many persons concerned about food allergies or the toxin background or the high level of Omega-6 fatty acids in cottonseed oil, this oil should be avoided and far safer and more healthy soybean, canola or sunflower oils used. Further the FDA should move in the direction of requiring clear labels on products containing cottonseed oil to help prevent serious allergy reactions that could even be fatal to some persons.

Cottonseed oil has it's own lobby and promotion organization known as the National Cottonseed Products Association, and on the organization website, not one a single one of the human health or allergy concerns are mentioned, only the potential benefits of the product. Cotton related products certainly have an important place in many products, but many persons should be also concerned whether they want cotton products in their diet as well.

American Cottonseed Network is a family-owned business that purchases cottonseed from the mid-South cotton gins and supplies feed to dairies all across the dairy industry. American Cottonseed has purchased cottonseed in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Missouri but Brinkley is the home office. We provide a dependable and reliable market for cottonseed for cotton gins which helps the producers.

Riviana Logo

Riviana Foods, Inc.

Riviana Brands

Riviana

Riviana Foods, Inc. employs over 84 in its local plant. Riviana in Brinkley has a rough rice drying and storage facility taking in over 1.2 million bushels a year. The Instant Rice facility processes and packages rice for major food industries throughout the United States and Europe.

1911 Riviana Foods traces its roots to 1911 when 33 South Louisiana rice mills joined to form Louisiana State Milling Company.

1926 Riviana was the first to introduce rice in consumer packages.

1931 Riviana began selling rice in kraft and cellophane bags.

1940s Minute® Rice, the world's first precooked rice was developed in the early 1940s using a special patented method for precooking and dehydrating rice and was requisitioned by the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II for special G.I. rations. Minute® Rice was introduced to consumer test markets in the U.S. in 1946, and by 1949, it had achieved national distribution.

1965 Riviana Foods is formed through the merger of River Brand Rice Mills, Inc. and Louisiana State Rice Milling Company.

1977 With the introduction of Success® Rice and its innovative boil-in-bag convenience, Riviana pioneered the development of quick-cooking, parboiled rice.

1986 As consumers demonstrated a growing preference for convenience, Riviana introduced easy-to-prepare flavored rice mixes. Riviana also introduced international aromatic rices into the U.S. market. As more Americans explore exotic and ethnic cuisines, Jasmine and Basmati rice products have become the fastest growing category in the U.S. rice industry.

2004 Riviana is acquired by Ebro Puleva, S.A., the world's leading rice company.

Mahatma® Mahatma® is the number one selling rice brand in the U.S. Sold in extra long grain, parboiled, brown, rice mixes, Thai Jasmine and Indian Basmati. Mahatma's popularity is attributed to its consistent fluffy texture and quality.

Success Rice

Success® Success® Rice, the nation's original leading boil-in-bag instant rice, was developed by Riviana's R&D team and was launched in 1977 to meet consumer demand for quality and convenience. Its popularity prompted Riviana to develop Success Rice mixes. In 1989, Success Boil-in-Bag Brown Rice was introduced to meet consumers' interest in healthy and easy-to-prepare foods and in 2004, Success® Boil-in-Bag Thai Jasmine Rice was introduced.

Minute Rice

Minute® Rice was the first precooked and the first enriched rice. Today, Minute Rice is marketed in five varieties: White Rice, Brown Rice, Boil-in-Bag, Premium Rice, and Ready to Serve Rice.

Carolina

Carolina® Known for its consistent high quality, Carolina® is the top selling long grain rice brand in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States. Carolina® Rice is appreciated for its consistent good taste and texture.

River Rice

River® Rice is a regional favorite in the Northeast and Mid-Central States where medium grain rice is popular for casseroles, stews, soups and desserts. River® Natural Long Grain brown rice is popular among health-conscious consumers.

Water Maid Rice

Water Maid® Rice is the best-selling brand of medium grain rice in the South. Distinguished by its slightly shorter and plumper appearance, Water Maid is moist and tender and clings together when prepared. It is perfect for traditional recipes such as gumbo, jambalaya and rice pudding.

Gourmet House Rice

Gourmet House® is the maker of the leading wild rice products in North America and Europe including bulk, packaged, quick-cooking, and wild and white rice blends.

S and W Rice

S&W® Rice is the best selling long-grain rice in the Pacific Northwest. The S&W® family of rice products includes white and brown rice and organic rice along with international favorites such as Italian Arborio, Indian Basmati and Thai Jasmine.

Our sister brands:

New World Pasta

New World Pasta Company is the largest manufacturer of pasta in the U.S. and Canada. Its products include such name brands as Ronzoni®, American Beauty®, Skinner®, Lancia®, Catelli®, Healthy Harvest®, and more.

Rice Facts

Often called the world's most important food, rice is the most consumed cereal grain on the planet. It is mankind's third largest food crop and is the diet staple for two thirds of the world's population.

History of Rice

The term "rice" comes from the Tamil (an ancient language of India and Sri Lanka) word "Arisi." Archeological evidence of rice dates to 10,000 B.C. In fact, rice plays a role in the creation stories of several Asian cultures. Evidence from the Hunan province of China suggests that Early Neolithic groups may have cultivated rice. Cultivation of rice is believed to have begun almost simultaneously in many countries more than 6,500 years ago.

Whatever its beginnings, the domestication of rice is one of the most important developments in history. No other food has fed more people over a longer period of time.

The first record of rice in North America dates from about 1685, when rice was produced in the coastal lowlands of what is now South Carolina. According to the legend, a ship arrived in Charleston in need of repairs. After repairs were completed, the captain presented a local planter with a packet of rice from Madagascar. This “Golden Seede” produced a white long-grain rice that became an important export from South Carolina to England.

Thomas Jefferson is thought to have brought shorter-grain rice to America. While serving as ambassador to France, he observed the French preference for Italy's short-grain rice over the rice grown in South Carolina. The Italians were fiercely protective of the rice seed and would not allow it out of the country. Risking death, Jefferson smuggled the rice in the pocket of his jacket. The rice seeds were sent to the Carolinas for planting.

At first, rice was milled by hand with wooden paddles. The invention of the rice mill greatly increased its profitability as did the addition of water power for the mills in 1787.

The Carolinas dominated rice growing until the Civil War, although the rice crop spread to Louisiana in the early 1800s. It was not until the 20th Century, however, that rice was produced in all of today's major rice growing states: Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi and Texas.

Today, more than 40,000 varieties of rice are grown worldwide. Rice is the largest food crop worldwide and is the most valuable cereal grain. It is the dietary staple of two-thirds of the world's population.

How Rice Grows

Rice is a semi-aquatic annual grass, indigenous to the tropical and semi-tropical areas of the world and can be grown naturally in coastal plains, tidal deltas and river basins. The growth cycle of the rice plant is 3-6 months, depending upon the variety and the environment.
The rice farmer begins preparing the land for planting in the fall and winter months. Planting is done in the early spring by airplane or ground equipment. Rice grows to maturity in 100 to 120 days. In late summer and early fall, the farmer harvests the crop using large combines to cut the stalks and thresh the grains. The rice is then dried to a moisture level that is suitable for storage.

How Rice is Processed

Processing Rice

Rice in its basic form is known as "rough rice" and is still covered by a non-edible hull or husk. At the mill, rough rice is processed through sorting machines that clean the kernels and remove foreign matter.

The hull is then removed leaving brown rice with the bran layers still surrounding the rice kernel. Grains of brown rice may be milled by removing the bran layers, revealing white rice. Because the most nutritious layers of the rice grain have been removed in the milling process, the white rice is enriched to restore the original levels of thiamin, niacin and iron.

Some of the rice is separated to go through an extra initial processing step that will turn it into parboiled rice. Parboiled rice is subjected to steaming or parboiling while still a brown rice, causing nutrients from the outer husk to move into the grain itself.

Types of Rice

Long grain rice represents the majority of total rice sold in the U.S. and is preferred by cooks when separateness of grain is important. Riviana markets this form of rice under the Carolina® and Mahatma® brands.

Medium grain rice somewhat shorter and wider than long grain rice - is preferred for use in puddings, casseroles, soups and dressings. Riviana's medium grain rice brands, WaterMaid® and River®, are regional favorites.

Short Grain rice Valencia rice takes its name from Valencia, a province of Spain, and is also known as short grain or pearl rice. Mahatma® Valencia Rice is used for traditional Spanish dishes such as paella and Arroz con Pollo (chicken and rice) as well as soups, stews, stuffings, rice molds, croquettes, sushi, rice pudding and other desserts.

Instant rice is milled long grain rice that has been cooked and dried under carefully controlled conditions. Riviana's instant brands are Success® and Minute®.

Brown rice is rice in its most natural state. Brown rice is the rice grain with only the outer hull removed. The fiber and nutrient-dense bran layers cover the white inner part of the grain. These bran layers have a light brown color, and contribute a subtle nut-like taste and somewhat chewy texture. Riviana's brown rice brands include Mahatma®, Carolina®, River®, Success® and Minute®.

Aromatic rices include Jasmine from Thailand and Basmati from India and Pakistan. Aromatic rices have a flavor and aroma similar to that of roasted nuts. The natural compound that gives aromatic rice the characteristic aroma and flavor is present in all rice, but it is present in much higher concentrations in the aromatic varieties. Riviana markets Mahatma®, Carolina® and Success® Jasmine rice and Mahatma® and Carolina® Basmati rice.

Wild rice (zizania palustris) is the seed of a plume-topped aquatic grass found mainly in California, the North Central United States and Canada. It is often combined with other types of rice or grain. With an enticing blend of smoky, nutty flavors and crackly-crunchiness, wild rice has long been a favorite of gourmets. Riviana markets wild rice under the Gourmet House® brand.

Ready to serve Microwavable white and brown rice and rice mixes are precooked and ready to serve in one minute. Riviana markets ready to serve rice cups under the Minute® brand.

There are more than 7,000 known varieties of rice. All can be categorized into three basic groups - long, medium and short grain. Della Rice Logo

Specialty Rice, Inc.

For centuries, the people of our world’s most high-profile rice-eating countries have enjoyed the special qualities of appetizing, aromatic rice. In India and Pakistan, it’s called “Basmati." In Thailand, it’s called “Jasmine." The special, unique quality of Della Gourmet Rice begins in the field. A few select producers grow the rice on fertile soils in America. In keeping with the gourmet foods, harvested Della is carefully processed in small quantities under strict quality control standards. Specialty Rice, Inc. located in Brinkley handles all grower contracting, milling, packaging and distribution.

Specialty Rice, Inc. believes that America, unlike much of the world, is unaware of the versatility, great taste, health benefits and ease of use of rice. Thus, we wish to further expose rice to America. In order to maintain the quality and authenticity of the rice varieties, we grow and breed our own seeds. We mill our rice in small batches to produce top quality, and use a climate controlled storage facility to minimize infestation.

Della's Rices of the World

Of the 40,000 varieties of rice available in the world, Della has chosen to grow the 5 best varieties in America: Basmati in both white and brown varieties with a natural aroma that will enhance any meal, Arborio for making a risotto you'll never forget, Jasmine for your favorite Thai and Chinese creations, or Ko-shi-hi-kari (Sushi rice) ideal for creating popular Japanese dishes such as sushi.

We hope you enjoy our products!

Confused on how to prepare these exotic rices? Don't worry. Each package has a different recipe that walks you through the entire process---the result is nothing less than a five star meal!

Ask for our attractive 5 lb. bags at your favorite supermarket.

For centuries, the people of our world's most prolific rice-eating countries have enjoyed the special qualities of an appetizing, aromatic rice. In India and Pakistan it's called "Basmati". In Thailand it's called "Jasmine".

Now grown in the U.S., it's called "Della". From the heartland of America's rice growing and milling industry, a veteran rice-processing firm has launched a major marketing effort to make Della readily available to American consumers. The result has been increased exposure and enjoyment of a food heretofore undiscovered for common use in the American kitchen.

The special, unique quality of Della Gourmet Rice begins in the field. A few select producers grow the rice on fertile soils in America. In keeping with gourmet foods, harvested Della is carefully processed in small quantities under strict quality control standards. Specialty Rice, Inc. handles all grower contracting, milling, packaging and distribution.

While Della ranks among the most inviting and unusual rice varieties today, its embodiment of popular qualities found in typical long-grain rice lends universal appeal. Smooth, even texture, delightfully light, nutty aroma and full rice taste combine to make Della distinguished with common practicality and affordability.

White Basmati Rice

DELLA GOURMET WHITE BASMATI RICE

Della Gourmet White Basmati Rice embodies all the appealing characteristics of American long-grain and Asian Basmati rice. Traditionally, primarily Indian and Pakistani consumers have consumed this item. Our goal is to heighten its awareness and educate the consumer that for a few pennies more per serving, Basmati rice is a much better alternative! It lends a unique, appetizing popcorn-like aroma. The rice's high quality American long grain heritage assures a smooth, even texture and preferred lightness of separate grains.

Della Gourmet White Basmati Rice is grown by a select few producers in America and processed in our own on-farm mill. To protect the grain's delicate nature, Della is prepared and packaged in small quantities under strict quality control to maintain its natural flavor.

Della is an exciting new rice with an exquisite aroma and full flavored taste. It's naturally good and simple and easy to prepare. These unique qualities distinguish Della Gourmet White Basmati Rice as the rice of truly discriminating gourmets while remaining practical and affordable.

Brown Basmati Rice

DELLA GOURMET BROWN BASMATI RICE

Della Gourmet Brown Basmati Rice has only the hull removed, enabling you to see the nutrition that brown rice has in the seven bran layers. It has all the benefits of our white Basmati, and for those who prefer additional fiber in their diets, Della Brown Basmati tends to those needs.

Della Brown is carefully selected and closely watched during the milling process, sifting away unwanted seeds and remnants of the rice plant. Then, after the hull is removed, Della Brown is ready to package.

Jasmine Rice

DELLA GOURMET JASMINE RICE

Della Gourmet Jasmine is an aromatic, long grain rice that possesses the flavor and aroma of the premium Basmati types of India and Pakistan and the fragrant rices of Thailand. Add in the high-quality American long grain rice heritage and you have a truly unique gourmet rice. This rice is the choice for many Asian dishes.

The special quality of Della Gourmet Jasmine begins in America's heartland. It is grown by a few select producers and carefully monitored during the growing season. After harvest Della Gourmet Jasmine is processed and packed in small quantities to maintain Della's strict quality standards.

Cooked grains of Della Gourmet Jasmine, like those of the fragrant rices of Thailand, are soft in texture and cohesive with the cooked kernels tending to cling together. Its smooth, even texture, delightfully light and nutty aroma, and full rice taste combine to make Della Gourmet Jasmine a delicious addition to any menu.

Arborio Rice

DELLA GOURMET ARBORIO RICE

Della Arborio white rice is normally grown in northern Italy, but it is now grown on our fine American farms. It is a medium grain rice that cooks up creamy, yet retains a crunch. It is a staple in Northern Italian restaurants where it is mixed with stock or wine and other ingredients to create risotto. It can be sautéd in butter or cooking oil, with stock being added to the rice until the stock is absorbed. Arborio is usually adapted at being able to absorb any desirable flavor that is wanted for the dish being prepared.

Koshihikari Rice

DELLA GOURMET KOSHIHIKARI RICE

Della Gourmet Koshihikari, a premium short grain rice ideal for sushi, was developed in Japan where it is the rice of choice in making Sushi, stir-fry, and other oriental dishes. When properly cooked, it is mildly sweet, shiny in appearance, and smooth to the tongue. Japanese consumers broadly accept Della Koshihikari, demonstrated by the fact that we ship our sushi rice to Japan!

Low's Bridal welcomes the opportunity to play a part in your upcoming wedding. We at Low's are looking forward to helping you find the perfect gown that not only flatters your shape but reflects your own unique personality. For 29 years Low's has been recognized as a leader in style, selection, value, and personal service throughout the bridal industry. We are truly looking forward to helping make your fantasy a reality.

Katie Pearl McKoy, Dorcas Prince, and Margo Low - Three generations of professional women catering to brides at Low's Bridal and Formal.

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Bridal Book

Although La White is but a fond memory, Delta brides still enjoy nonpareil shopping opportunities (this is the last mot francais – we promise). It should come as no surprise that one of the country’s largest vendors of (small, we hope) wedding dresses is nearby in Brinkley, Arkansas. It is Low’s Bridal and Formal Shoppe, owned by Dorcas Prince, whose mother founded the enterprise by selling a few wedding dresses in her husband’s pharmacy. A girl can bring her grandmother’s Belgian lace veil, and Dorcas will find a dress that goes with it. Dorcas has also matched turquoise cowboy boots for a less traditional ensemble. Mrs. Prince says the shop has flourished “by the grace of God and a fluke of nature,” which is probably just the way Fifth Avenue merchants talk. A historical note: In the 1920s and 30s a “Doctor” Brinkley attained national fame through his experiments with goat glands. He dreamed of Viagra before its time, or, as a radio ditty put it, the goat glands were supposed to “make a man the ram what am with every lamb.” Many believe that Brinkley was named in honor of the doctor, and that Dorcas’s ancestral pharmacy was associated with the experiments. We regret to report that neither of these rumors is true, though the great state of Arkansas did give good doc something all other states denied him: a medical license.

At any rate, Low’s has since moved from the humble pharmacy into an elegantly refurbished old railroad hotel with chandeliers and a selection of gowns that get more expensive as you go to the next floor. Budget-conscious brides should stay away from the stairs! According to Southern Living magazine, there are more weeding gowns at Low’s than there are citizens of Brinkley (population: 4,000). You can easily drive to Brinkley from Greenville, but real big shots love flying in big shot style – never mind that the metropolitan aeronautical facility is for crop dusters. “I flew in like Barney Fife,” said rattled shopper from Atlanta. But she did get to ride into town in Brinkley’s elegant “courtesy car.” It is a former po-lice vehicle, and it takes you directly to Low’s, there not being a whole heck of a lot of other major attractions in Brinkley.

Brinkley residents and visitors enjoy the comfortable, hospitable atmosphere of a small town with abundant recreational opportunities in the immediate vicinity and nearby. And less than an hour’s drive both east and west are all the entertainment venues available to big city dwellers.

Brinkley Little League Field

The new Brinkley City Park is next to the Convention Center, offering three regulation-sized softball fields with tournament lighting, a Little League field, T-ball field and tennis court. Park amenities also include an asphalt walking trail and a grill for cookouts.

Stroll the downtown square and you will find numerous antique shops to browse and restaurants to visit for dining and refreshments. Downtown also features a popular shop for young ladies planning a trip to the altar. Popular Low’s Bridal Shop is located in Brinkley’s old railroad hotel. Visitors from throughout the South frequent this unique establishment for its extensive stock of one-of-a-kind bridal gowns.

Outdoor adventures include famous Monroe County duck hunting, deer hunting and fishing areas that include the Dagmar and Wattensaw Wildlife Management Areas, Marion McCollum Lake Greenlee, Cache River and White River. Visit http://www.agfc.com for more information.

Marion McCollum Lake Greenlee

Marion McCollum Lake Greenlee, a 300-acre Arkansas Game and Fish Commission lake, boasts a new look after a $3 million renovation. It is equipped with two handicap-accessible fishing piers and two boat ramps. Two water wells were driven to maintain a good water supply. A cross levy built to divide the lake has a bridge for pedestrian traffic. A levy around the lake is approximately three miles in length and will be maintained for anglers without boats to fish from the banks. The lake is stocked with bluegill (bream), Florida bass and channel catfish.

The Louisiana Purchase State Park near Brinkley is a national historic landmark located at the junction of Lee, Monroe and Phillips Counties. It preserves the initial point from which all surveys of property acquired through the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 were initiated. The park consists of 37.5 acres of a headwater swamp that is representative of a vanishing natural environment. The Louisiana Purchase State Park is located 22 miles south of Brinkley. To reach the monument, a 950-foot barrier-free boardwalk provides access to the granite monument that marks the initial point of the survey. The boardwalk has a number of wayside exhibits that offer a view of the pristine beauty and ever-changing sounds of the swamp.

Local entertainment opportunities at Brinkley include the Lick Skillet Festival in the fall and the Choo Choo Ch’ Boogie Festival in May. Festival activities include arts and crafts, duck-calling contests, chili cook-offs, softball tournaments and other fun. The annual Christmas Parade also adds a festive atmosphere each year, bringing out a crowd filled with cheer and goodwill toward man.

Brinkley is especially popular with bird watching enthusiasts (birders) these days, so bring your binoculars and camera. Over 250 species of birds have been recorded in the Brinkley area, including the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, thought to have been extinct for the past 60 years. The Ivory-billed Woodpecker was reported to have been sighted on the nearby Bayou de View in 2004 by kayaker Gene Sparling.

Central Delta Depot & Museum

See photography and other memorabilia relating to the Rock Island and Cotton Belt Railroads that crossed at Brinkley at the Central Delta Depot & Museum. Also featured is photography of area sawmills and other wood-related industries that sprang up here with the coming of the railroad. Native son bandleader Louis Jordan is also remembered for his role in pioneering a form of jazz that served as a precursor to rhythm and blues and rock and roll. The museum is also a visitor center for the Louisiana Purchase State Park located nearby and has a number of items on display from the Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial. The museum is located at 100 West Cypress Street in Brinkley.

Located in a beautifully restored 1912 Union Railroad Depot on the National Register of Historic Places, the museum contains exhibits focusing on the Louisiana Purchase survey of 1815 and on area railroads and other facets of local history. Serves as visitors' center for Brinkley and nearby Louisiana Purchase Historic State Park. Also located on the museum grounds is the 100 year old Arkansas Midland-MoPac depot from Monroe, AR and a furnished sharecropper house.

Monroe Depot

Freight Room

Waiting Room

Kitchen

Stove with Pipe Oven

Office

The Monroe Depot was donated to the Central Delta Historical Society by Charlotte and Freeland Nash. Formerly located in Monroe, Arkansas, it served the MoPac railroad. We are fortunate to have this old historic relic, as it is one of the few remaining old frame stations of its kind that has not been demolished.

The Sharecropper House

Sharecropper House Kitchen

Antique Dresser with Wash Basin

Possum Bellied Cabinet

Old Ringer Washer and a Cotton Sack

Cotton Patch and Outhouse

The Sharecropper House was originally known as the gambler’s shack that was located next to the Monroe Depot. Fortunes were made and lost in this lowly shack by travelers and local citizens alike. A local citizen, Wiley Meacham, who was a witness, told us that “1000s of acres of delta land traded hands in that shack”. Monroe County, Arkansas, is located in the heart of the delta, where cotton was “King” and agriculture is, and has always been, the livelihood for this region. Our museum director’s father, was a sharecropper, and he converted the old shack to replicate the life in which he was raised, in remembrance to the many poor farmers of that era.

Cottage Mall

Cottage Mall, the bright green building on Cypress Street DOWNTOWN, is Brinkley's newest "old place." Housed in a block building built in 1946, Cottage Mall opened in September of 2004 after extensive renovations including bright green paint ~ inside and out !

Originally 3 separate businesses, the building was opened up into one location of over 4500 square feet of antiques, Merle Norman Cosmetics, jewelry, handbags, Stonebrook Fudge, Jelly Belly gourmet jelly beans and much more! AND NOW WE ARE EXPANDING! MAIN STREET COTTAGE MALL ( 107 NORTH MAIN, FORMERLY LANDON'S FURNISHINGS) WILL SOON BE OUR ANTIQUES LOCATION. DEALERS AND ENTREPRENUERS ARE WELCOME TO COME TALK TO US ABOUT RENTING SPACE ! We hope you will visit Cottage Mall soon.

Come for lunch ... stay to shop ! You'll be glad you did !

Louisiana Purchase State Park

National Historic Marker

This National Historic Landmark, located at the junction of Lee, Monroe and Phillips counties, preserves the initial point from which all surveys of the property acquired through the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 initiated. That year, President Thomas Jefferson purchased the vast territory of Louisiana from France for $15 million. The unmapped wilderness of approximately 900,000 square miles doubled the size of the fledgling nation and helped shape the destiny of the United States.

The barrier-free boardwalk features wayside interpretive exhibits that tell about the Louisiana Purchase, and describe the flora and fauna of the surrounding swamp. The headwater swamp is representative of the swamplands that were common in eastern Arkansas before the vast bottomlands were drained and cleared for farming and commercial purposes.